Song of the Day: Jetman Jet Team – Cosmic Age

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Cosmic Age” by Jetman Jet Team from the 2013 album We Will Live the Space Age on Saint Marie.

Seattle’s Jetman Jet Team will invariably be compared to shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine. The warped layers of bending guitars and dream-pop texture of Jetman Jet Team continue the aural exploration of MBV and 1990s sound-weavers Swervedriver and Ride. But rather than imitating their influences, Jetman Jet Team excel by using history to guide them towards crafting their own galactic noise pop. Lush in atmosphere, the 15 tracks on the debut album, We Will Live the Space Age, blissfully hover and soar into the clouds on dense, interstellar guitars and ethereal vocal melodies.

Jetman Jet Team emerged in 2011 after guitarists Brenan Chambers, Miguel Diaz, and Tyler James from Spokane’s The Pop Eccentric moved to Seattle and joined forces with drummer Quin Dickinson, bassist Adam Breeden, and keyboardist Alex Nagy. Together they explore the psychedelic mines of modern space rock, weaving droning melodies with dreamy, pop sensibilities.

The album’s rich textures are a testament to the band’s eagerness to continually discover new sounds. Chambers says he often writes down notes in a notebook when he hears an interesting tone, technique, atmosphere, or mixing choice. The notebook provides inspiration, he says, for keeping a varied soundscape when recording. This diversity of texture works well for Jetman Jet Team. Where some bands might get bogged down by the density of the atmospherics, Jetman Jet Team shine by aiming their eyes on the pop prize. Inside all the fuzzy layers is boundless, melodic bliss.

This summer, Jetman Jet Team are planning a West Coast tour. Get upcoming dates and keep up with the band on their Facebook pagepage. Stream more music at their Bandcamp page. In the meantime, watch the new music video of “Albatross” below: